Chinese citizenship in 2026: how a foreigner can get it

China grants its passport neither for years of residence nor for investment, and your current passport has to be given up for it. We cover who still gets it, what it costs and what is better to choose instead.

The short answer: a foreigner can get Chinese citizenship, but it is almost impossible to plan for. The 1980 Nationality Law names no period of residence and no investment amount after which a passport is granted, and an approved applicant must give up their previous citizenship.

China remains one of the most closed countries for naturalisation. The 2020 census counted about 846,000 foreigners living on the mainland, and almost all of them live there on visas and residence permits rather than with a Chinese passport. But for those who need China for life and business, there are workable routes: permanent residence and Hong Kong.

Can a foreigner get Chinese citizenship

Article 7 of the Nationality Law allows the naturalisation of a foreigner who abides by China's Constitution and laws and meets at least one of three grounds:

• near relatives are Chinese nationals;
• the person has settled in China, that is, lives there permanently;
• there are other legitimate reasons.

The law sets no clear thresholds - years of residence, language level, an exam. Applications are reviewed by the Ministry of Public Security, and decisions are made case by case. In practice the second ground fits mainly permanent residents, and the first fits spouses, children and parents of Chinese citizens. The bureaucracy here is polite but taciturn: the law sets no processing deadline, so planning a move around a decision date will not work.

Chinese citizenship by marriage and by birth

Marriage alone does not give a passport. The spouse of a Chinese citizen first obtains permanent residence: under the 2004 rules this requires a marriage of at least 5 years, 5 consecutive years living in China with at least 9 months in each year, a stable income and housing. Only then can they apply for citizenship as a near relative of a citizen.

By birth, citizenship goes to a child born in China if at least one parent is a Chinese citizen. A child born abroad also becomes a citizen, except where the parent has settled abroad and the child acquired a foreign nationality at birth. Being born in China to two foreign parents does not give citizenship.

How to apply for Chinese citizenship and what it costs

On the mainland, applications go to the local public security bureau where you live; abroad, to a Chinese embassy or consulate. The procedure is described in most detail in Hong Kong: the Immigration Department takes the application and looks at relatives with the right of abode in Hong Kong, settled residence, income and tax payments, knowledge of Chinese and the intention to stay. The path usually starts with permanent residence:

The Hong Kong fee is paid in two parts: half on application, which is not refunded, and the rest after you prove you have given up your previous nationality. Mandatory payments on this route total about $445, excluding translations, certifications and the cost of giving up your current citizenship. On the mainland there is no single published fee, and the main price is years of living in the country and giving up your previous passport.

Dual citizenship: what happens to your current passport

Article 3 of the law is blunt: China does not recognise dual nationality. A naturalised foreigner does not keep their previous nationality, and a Chinese citizen who has settled abroad and voluntarily acquired another nationality loses Chinese nationality automatically. Even if your home country allows a second citizenship, that does not help here: to get a Chinese passport you must give up your current one, and leaving a citizenship is usually a separate procedure through your country's consulate with its own timelines.

For a family this is a decision for generations. If a child acquired Chinese citizenship by birth and another citizenship through the other parent, China still recognises only the Chinese one.

What to choose instead of a Chinese passport

In 2026 a Chinese passport opens 83 destinations without a prior visa, fewer than many other passports, so for travel it brings little and is valuable mainly for living in China itself. Almost all the rights needed for life and business come with permanent residence: since December 2023 it has been issued as a new-style card valid for 10 years for adults and 5 years for children, making banks, transport and public services easier to use.

The second route is Hong Kong: a foreigner becomes a permanent resident after 7 years of ordinary residence and gains the right to live there without restrictions, without changing citizenship. More on the Hong Kong: all programs and China: all programs pages, taxes and the 183-day count in taxes in China, and a passport comparison in our 2026 passport overview.

How we help

Murblz specialists assess which route is realistic in your situation and run it from the first documents to the decision: residence in China, permanent residence in Hong Kong or a second passport that lets you keep your current one.

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